LANSING, Mich. – A significant boost for economic development in the City of Ishpeming was announced today as the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) awarded the city the esteemed Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification. This recognition underscores Ishpeming’s accomplishments in creating an attractive environment for private investments by building on its municipal strengths.
By earning this certification, Ishpeming becomes part of an elite group of 94 Michigan communities recognized for being “thoroughly prepared” in planning and zoning. This designation helps to dismantle traditional barriers, thereby enhancing potential investment opportunities. A full list of RRC communities can be found here.
MEDC SVP of Community Planning and Development Readiness Michele Wildman stated, “Our mission at MEDC is to support Michigan’s strong economic momentum and empower communities to establish a strong planning, zoning and economic development foundation. The City of Ishpeming is well positioned to continue to implement their vision for the future and further improve the quality of life for its residents. We look forward to building upon our relationship with the City of Ishpeming and supporting local economic development efforts.”
The RRC certification process involved a thorough assessment of Ishpeming’s current community and economic development practices against established RRC best practices. The community utilized the RRC toolkit to integrate transparency, predictability, and efficiency into their development processes, indicating their readiness to compete for and attract investment by removing development barriers.
City Manager Randy Scholz expressed, “Redevelopment Ready Communities certification is a major milestone for Ishpeming and a big part of our continued progress as a city. It reflects the dedication of our staff, elected officials and community partners, and it gives us a stronger foundation to encourage investment, support redevelopment and move Ishpeming forward with confidence and momentum.”
With this certification, Ishpeming gains access to new tools to fulfill its community development objectives, alongside ongoing support and technical assistance from the RRC team. The certification is reviewed and renewed every five years, with annual check-ins to ensure adherence to best practices.
Mayor Pat Scanlon commented, “Achieving Redevelopment Ready Communities certification is a significant milestone for the City of Ishpeming and reflects our commitment to thoughtful growth, transparency, and creating new opportunities for investment in our community. We are proud of the collaboration and hard work that made this achievement possible and look forward to building on this momentum to create a stronger, more vibrant future for Ishpeming.”
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